Last plate



Jan. 7, 1930. E. FULLERTON I 1,742,760

T PLATE Original Filed Aug. 16. 1927 ug' yW-K/ mwz flitauzzq lizv iPatented Jan. 7, 1930 PATENT OFFICE nnnns'r M. FULLERTON, orscro'uen'ron, MASSACHUSETTS LAST PLATE Original application filed August16, 1927, Serial No. 213,297. Divided and this application filedFebruary Serial No. 254,769.

of my prior and copending application Ser.

No. 213,297, filed August 16, 1927.

My present invention, broadlyconsidered,

is equally applicable, either to insert heel plates, flush heel plates,flanged heel plates, or

any other type.

Hcretofore, when applying heel plates to lasts, it has been customary tofile or grind the edges of the plates in order to remove the roughedges, or burrs thereon, and also to produce a better fit of the plateon the heel seat of the last. This resulted in a grinding or filing awayof the galvanizing, Parkerizing, or other finishes on the plates,causing rusting of the plates due to the various shoe making operationswhich require moistening of the shoe materials, and thus also resultingin injury to the shoe.

A further difficulty with existing last plates.

is the sharp corners or edges, Which, if not 5 corrected before use,will result in tearing the lining of the shoes. A still furtherdisadvantage of the present heel plates is due to the fact that inpounding or beating the edge of the plate to shape on the last, the lastplate nails are frequently forced out, loosening the plate, and making acorrect fit difficult. This is due to the thickness of the metal at theedge of the plate being of the same thickness as at the center.

i A11 important object of the present invention, therefore, is toeliminate and obviate the difiiculties above pointed out, by providing aheel plate, of any type, slze, shape or style,

which will be readily adapted to the shape of the heel seat of-the lastto which the plate is to be applied, which will present a neat edge,

will retain the galvanizing or other finish throughout its entire area;and will be simple to manufacture. 7

I accomplish these highly desirable results by providing the heel plateswith a predetermined beveled or tapered edge, tapering from the extremeouter edge of the plate to a predetermined distance from the edge, thispredetermined distance being such that the finish nails, and thus of.the edge of the metal plate will not interfere with the thicknessrequired for heeling, levelling or othershoe manufacturing opera tions.This beveling operation may be performed in many Ways, as by rolls, orby dies,

or in any other desirable manner. Preferably it is but the top surfaceof the plate which is beveled or tapered, thus leaving the lower orlast-engaging surface of the plate in a smooth and even condition;

.lVhen my invention is. applied to insert last plates, they are firstbeveled, then formed to approximate shape, then nailed on the last, andthen beaten to conform the edges of the plate with the contour of thelast. My present invention enables this operation to be performed andthe edge of the plate to be shaped to the last, Without loosening any ofthe heel presenting a distinct advance in this art. 7

When applying the present invention to flanged or flush heel plates, thebevel is carried back a sufficient distance from the edge so that theoperator, when utilizing bench shears or biters to remove thesuperfluous metal, is enabledgto shear through the thin or,

tapered edge much more easily than is possible With prior last plates,wherein the operator was forced to shear through the metal plates, whichwere as thick at the edge as at the center. Subsequentto the trimming orshearing operation, there is still a sufficient bevel left so that theoperator may pound the edges of the heel plate onto the last with nodisturbance of the nails securing the plate to the last.

A further difliculty with existing last plates resides in the fact thatthey are first shaped toth contour of thefheel of the last, and thendrilled or punched. This results in a burr or feather around theedges'of the holes or apertures drilled'the'rethrough. These burrs marand frequently injure the insole contacting therewith during the processof manufacture.

In my present invention, I first drill, punch or bore the holes throughthe last plates, While they are flat, and then subject the plates to arolling and shaping operation, which smooths the surface of the plate,-effectually removing burrs and sharp cutting edges, and thus preventinginjury to the shoe.

If desired, I may also bevel the breast por- 7 tion of the plate, andpreferably will bevel same to a certain degree. A further advantage ofthe present invention is that when performing the beveling operation,all sharp edges, burred edges, corners or the like, which would belikely to injure or mar the shoe, or its materials, are eliminated,resulting in a neat and finished last plate, ready for attachment to alast without removing any of the galvanizing or other finish from themetal.

I believe that my present invention is novel, and useful, and havetherefore claimed the same broadly herein.

Further features of the invention, details, and advantages, will. behereinafter more fully pointed out and claimed.

Referring to the drawings, illustrating preferred embodiments of thepresent invention,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the heel portion of a last, illustratingthe heel plate in position;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the heel plate in positionto be attached to a last heel;

Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the plate attached to a last beforeshaping;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectionalview similar to Fig. 3, illustrating theplatebeaten or shaped to the last; 1 r

' Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a flanged heel platebefore trimming and shaping;

Fig. 6 illustrates the plate of Fig. 5 after being shaped to the contourof the last heel seat;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of a heel plate in flat condition after beingbored;

Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the last plate of Fig. 7illustrating the burrs or feathers remaining after drilling or boring;and

Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the last plate of Fig. 8 afterrolling and shaping, and illustrating the absence of any burrs orfeathers. I

As shown in the drawings, in carrying out my present novel invention, Iutilize a heel plate 1, provided with a plurality of apertures 2 throughwhich the attaching nails are driven. I then subject this heel plate toa beveling or tapering operation, which may be carried out in anydesirable way. Before this operation the plates are, of course,galvanized, Parkerized, or finished in any other suitable manner. Uponsubjecting the plate to the beveling action, the beveled or tapered edge6 is provided upon the plate, this beveling operation not removing ormarring any of the galvanizing or other finish on the metal. Also by thebeveling operation, the sharp corners are removed, and there are noburred or rough edges at the periphery of the plate to mar the shoematerials.

Subsequent to the beveling operation, the plate is rounded somewhat, asshown in Fig. 2, and is then applied to the last 8, being securedthereto by means of tacks or nails 9.

On an inspection of Figs.- 3 and 4, it Will be apparent that the edge ofthe plate, overlapping the wood of the last, and which edge must bepounded or hammered down to fit the last, is relatively thin, due to thepredetermined bevel 6, so that little power or force is required to bendthe edge of the plate to conform to the contour of the last, thisoperation being performed without loosening or pulling of the nails 9.The bevel 6 is preferably applied to the upper surface only of theplate, as shown. It will be appreciated that I may carry the bevel 6completely around the plate if desired, including the breast portion 10,which, however, as a matter of practice, would not require as great abevel as the outside edges of the heel plate.

It will also be seen, from the drawings, Figs. 3 and 4, that the bevel 6does not extend toward the center of the plate a sufficient distance tointerfere with the heel nailing, leveling, or other shoe manufacturingoperations.

lVhen applying my present invention to heel plates of the flush orflange type, which are sheared or out after applying to the last, Icarry out the same process as described above. The plate 11, having aflange 12, is

provided with a predetermined bevel 13.

After being applied to the last 14, by nails 15, the plate is thensubjected to a cutting operation, by means of bench biters, or benchshears, or'the like, which operation cuts away a predetermined portionof the flange 12. Because of the bevel 13, this cutting operation isgreatly simplified, reducing the time and labor heretofore required incutting the thick edges of prior heel plates, as well as resulting in amuch neater out, plate. Also the bevel 13 extends inwardly a sufficientdistance from the outer edge of the plate so that part of the bevel willstill be left, to simplify the subsequent beating operation, wherein theedge of the plate is formed or shaped to the contour of the last. Inthis type of heel plates, as well as in the insert or flush type, thebevel 13 will notextend inwardly a suflicient distance to interfere withthe heel nailing, leveling or other shoe manufacturing operations. Thebeveled edge, also, will permit said edge to be hammered or beaten down,in these types of plates, without loosening or disturbing the nails 15.I

It will thus be seen that I have devised a novel heel plate, one whichsimplifies the manufacture of lasts, and which greatly reduces the timeand labor required in such last manufacture.

In Figs. 7 8 and 9, I have illustrated the advantages of my novelprocess of drilling,

boring or punching the last plates before shaping. The plate 20 has acentral aperture 21, drilled, bored or punched therethrough, and severalnail receiving apertures 22. As illustrated in F ig. 8, this punchingoperation leaves burrs 23 on the underside of the plate, and also asmaller burr or sharp cutting edge 24. on the upper or insole-contactingsurface of the plate.

Subsequent to this punching operation, I roll the plate adjacent to thehole 21, and by this rolling Operation, entirely remove the sharpcutting edge 24, as illustrated in Fig. 9, and if desired the burrs 23,leaving the last plate smooth on each side, but particularly on theupper surface. Thus these plates will not injure, mar, damage or destroythe shoe ma terials contacting therewith during the process or steps ofmanufacture. A bevel 25 is also formed on these plates, as abovedescribed. The plate may be shaped to desired concavity either before orafter the rolling operation, said shaping operation also assisting inremoving the burrs on the under side of the plate.

While I have necessarily described my present invention somewhat indetail, it will be appreciated that I may vary the size, shape andarrangement of parts within reasonably wide limits without departingfrom the spirit of the invention.

NIy invention is further described and defined in the form of claims asfollows:

1. As an article of manufacture a concavoconvex last plate of the kinddescribed, a peripheral flange extending partially around said plate,and adapted to be cut to fit varying sizes of lasts, said flange beingdownwardlyand outwardly beveled to a thin edge, a permanent rustpreventive coating coverin the entire upper surface of said plate anflange, said beveled edge being adapted to provide a flush joint betweena last and said plate, and said beveled edge being of sufficientthinness to permit it to be conformed to the contour of the last withoutloosening the last plate nails.

2. As an article of manufacture a concavoconvex last plate of the kinddescribed having its margin downwardly and outwardly beveled to a thinedge and a permanent rust preventive coating covering the entire uppersurface of the plate, said beveled edge being adapted to provide a flushjoint between a last and said plate, and said beveled edge being ofsuflicient thinness to permit it to be conformed to the contour of thelast Without loosening the lastplate nails.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

ERNEST M. FULLERTON.

